We love that PeoplePets.com helps pets get adopted by featuring them on their uber-popular website every week! One lucky dog who made the headlines is Storm, a 2-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix with boundless energy. The young pooch was rescued by The Little Shelter in Huntington, N.Y., almost a year ago from a municipal shelter. In his time there, he’s blossomed into quite the ham. “We have a swimsuit contest here every year, and last year, Storm actually won the male dog category,” says communications and events manager Jodi Record. “He was a scuba diver. He had a snorkel, flippers, the whole kit and caboodle. He loves to dress up, he’s a fun dog.” A “spitfire” who loves being the center of attention, Storm is very active and needs an owner who can keep up with him and work with him on his possessiveness over his toys. Find out more about Storm at PeoplePets.com by clicking here.
Month: January 2012
Cat Anatomy and Fascinating Facts
Cat Anatomy graphic created by Matt Beswick for Pet365. Click here to view the full post.
Dog Health and Safety Tips for Winter
Our friends over at BarkBusters reminded us of some chilling facts about the dangers that cold winter weather can pose for our pets! They rightfully point out that: “Frostbite, hypothermia and even death are real dangers to your dog as the snow piles up and the mercury drops” below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Most dogs’ coats are more like our hair – if you need to wear a hat to stay warm, your dog coat may need some help too! Double-coated dogs like Huskies and Chows are exceptions, but even thick coated dogs vary in how much cold they can withstand. It depends not only on the temperature, wettness, wind, how long they are in the cold, but how much “fuel” (food) they’ve had to keep warm while they play with you in the snow! Other factors also affect how long your dog can stay out with you safely – including how much muscle, fat and fur your dog has protecting them, and how much energy they have to burn (literally) to keep themselves warm. Just like people, many young dogs enjoy playing, walking or running in the cold with us for hours. So how do you know how much cold is safe – and comfortable – for your dog?
photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/820746
Always play it safe, and each year when winter comes, reassess your dog’s tolerance, which will go down as they get older. Keep a close eye on your dog while they are outside with you to watch for these signs…
Barkbusters says: When your dog is exposed to temperatures below 32 degrees for too long, frostbite can set in. Frostbite occurs when the dog’s ears, paws or tail get cold enough that ice crystals form in the tissue and causes damage. If you think your dog has frostbite, bring him into a warm area and soak the affected areas with warm water for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, contact your local veterinarian immediately.
Barkbusters says: Hypothermia, which occurs when the dog’s body temperature goes below normal as a result of prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, is another very real danger during the cold winter months. Symptoms of hypothermia typically include shivering, lethargy, a low heart rate, slow breathing and unresponsiveness. If you notice any of these symptoms, immediately bring your dog inside your warm house or room-temperature car and contact your veterinarian.
Barkbusters says: A dog’s internal system works extra hard in the cold to maintain appropriate body temperatures. As such,your dog needs extra fuel to burn and generate heat. Also, remember to provide plenty of fresh drinking water and keep it from freezing. It is just as easy to get dehydrated in the winter as it is in the summer if proper amounts of water are not consumed.
Barkbusters says: Try to keep snow from building up along fences so it does not provide artificial steps that will allow your dog to get out of the safety of your yard. If he does get out, remember that ice-melting chemicals commonly used on public streets can irritate and burn your dog’s paws. Be sure to rinse off his feet after being exposed to such chemicals.
Winter months can be just as hazardous to your dog’s health as the summer months. But by taking the right precautions and using good old common sense, you can help protect your dog from the dangers that can accompany the harsh winter climate.
About Bark Busters:
Bark Busters, the world’s largest, most trusted dog training company, started in Australia in 1989 and came to the United States in 2000. Since inception, more than 500,000 dogs have been trained worldwide using its dog-friendly, natural methods. With 225+ franchised offices in 40 states and more than 400 offices in 10 countries, Bark Busters is continuing its mission to build a global network of dog behavioral therapists to enhance responsible dog ownership and reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment and euthanasia of companion dogs. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers guaranteed lifetime support. SPCA International selected Bark Busters dog behavioral training services as the “Best of the Best” in its category. No other training company or dog trainer received such a distinction. To fetch a trainer in your area, call 1-877-500-BARK (2275) or visit www.BarkBusters.com, where dog owners can complete a Dog Behavioral Quiz to rate their dogs’ behavior.
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Wet Nose Guide featured pet: Fraiser!
The awesome dog-lovers over at the Wet Nose Guide feature homeless dogs for adoption to help them find their future families! They recently posted adorable Frasier, a St. Bernard available for adoption in the Sudbury, MA area. He’s an adult-aged pup and is house trained, purebred, up to date with shots and great with other dogs and children! He found his way to the New England Saint Bernard Rescue center because his owners couldn’t keep him. His friends know he’d do well in a house with small children that he could cuddle with, but he would fair better in a cat-less household. He just loves to chase tiny critters too much! Find out more about him visit his Adopt-a-Pet.com page.
Do you know of an amazing pet for adoption that could use some extra special exposure, like Fraiser? You can copy their Adopt-a-Pet.com page link onto our Facebook page here and our friends can help! Please click “like” at the top of our page while you’re there to show you care about pet adoption too.
Oskar the Famous Special Needs Cat!
There is an owner for every pet and a pet for every owner. Even the ones with special needs. Caring for special needs pets isn’t a burden – it’s actually an especially rewarding, fulfilling journey! Just ask Mick and Bethany Szydlowski who rescued a blind kitten you may have heard of named Oskar. Oskar is sort of famous… with over two million viewers watching his precious video on YouTube we can safely say Oskar has star charisma! See it for yourself here.
When the Szydlowskis met Oskar he melted in their arms. Born the disabled runt of the litter, he was off to be surrendered at the shelter before the family stepped in. They know they could not let that happen. When they brought Oskar home, they already had an adopted cat named Klaus who they adopted from The Cat House in Lincoln, NE. And even though they adopted Klaus as an adult they referred to him as “our baby” which is just another reason that this kind couple makes us smile from ear to ear! They’re the type of people who really get it when it comes to pet adoption, and they understand the incredible love a furry family member brings. Anyway, as fate would have it kitty Oskar came into their lives, and even though Klaus had not hit it off with other cats they’d tried to introduce him to in the past, with Oskar it was a different story.
Here is where Oskar’s special needs were probably an advantage to the family. Oskar was born without formed eyeballs. This deformity is probably responsible for his innocent, sweet demeanor, which Mick describes as, “he was born into this world absolutely trusting of everybody and just happy to be here.” The Szydlowskis planned to take all the steps necessary when introducing Klaus to Oskar to make sure it was done properly and positively. They had decided they would even divide their home into two sections for them to live separately if it required. But luckily within five days, Klaus not only accepted Oskar, he also began taking care of his new brother! Very likely Klaus could sense Oskar’s special needs and felt a paternal instinct or compassion rather than competition from his new best friend. Many people report that their pets accept special needs pets more readily and easily.
Though thankfully the transition was a smooth one, the Szydlowskis continued to learn about how to live with a special needs pet. Because they worried about Oskar hurting himself by running into walls or not being able to use a litter box, the couple diligently researched in order to know as much as possible about having a blind kitten. They found that Oskar’s other senses took over, as nature would have it, even when it came to learning how to play with toys. He just figured it all out like any kitten would!
More than anything the Szydlowskis hope that Oskar’s story will inspire other people to open their homes to adoptable pets with special needs. Often people shy away from these animals thinking something is wrong with them. But nothing could be further from the truth. Special needs pets can live full, happy lives like any other animal, and they’re just extra, well… special! The Szydlowskis don’t see Oskar’s blindness as a handicap or burden – they see it as an opportunity to spend even more time with the feline they love. Now that’s inspiring!
So are you hooked on Oskar yet? Become his friend on Facebook so you can stay up to date on all his adventures! He is so popular even Ellen DeGeneres featured a video of him on her show! And hey, while you’re on Facebook make sure you’re Adopt-a-Pet.com’s friend, too! Last but not least know that there are so many special needs pets out there just as lovely and loving as Oskar. We’ve made it so easy for you to search for them that we’ve included a “special needs” box to check when you run your next search for a pet to adopt! These sweethearts are looking for their family, their safe home to belong to, and the people who will see them for what they truly are. Consider making another special needs pet as lucky as Oskar is… who knows, yours may even have the next famous YouTube video!
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Embryonic, Puppy and Dog Development
Puppy Development graphic created by Matt Beswick for Pet365 – a UK supplier of dog collars, coats and beds. Click here to view the full post.